S Tahir-ul HaqEarly Times ReportBARAMULLA, Apr 15: Illegal soil extraction from Karewas goes unabated, while as the same soil is being used to fill the Abi Awal land for construction purpose by some land mafias in Pattan area of this north Kashmir district.According to sources that, the illegal extraction of soil from karewas in Pattan thesil has been going on from past many months and years together, while as the land mafias in nexus with some political workers have destroyed the scenic beauty of the hillsides in the historical thesil of this north Kashmir."From last three years, the land mafias have been seen active in illegal extraction of soil and for this purpose they have pressed men and machineries at different karewas, and with the result the Pattan area, that was being considered as historic place as the Mughal and Pandwas used to stay there has lost its scenic beauty by the illegal extraction of soil, said sources. Sources said that, "The mafia have illegally extracted the soil from Zangam, Yakhwanpora, Khore, Pallahan Pattan, Singhpora and other adjacent areas where they were using men and machinery round the clock so that maximum soil is extracted. Last year the authorities had stopped the illegal lifting of soil for some time, but this time the land mafias are busy in filling up of Abi Awal (Agrarian land) that has caused serious environment damage in the whole area, sources informed.Sources said that, the soil that has been lifted to fill the Abi-Awal land at different places is in violation of the conditions that are laid down by the J&K High Court. Local residents of Pattan believes that the Agriculture land in Kashmir valley has been classified as Abi-Awal, Abi-Duem, Abi-sewam and the Karewas are mainly meant for cultivation of food crops, especially rice, maize, pulses and other vegetable crops to sustain the food and vegetables production in the state throughout the year.Bashir Ahmad of Pattan said that, if the illegal practices of soil extraction remains continue, I am sure that the state of J&K is likely to face serious food shortage, otherwise there was heavy snowfall this year in Kashmir, and the chances of food production was more instead of the previous year.The land mafias are in nexus with some political workers, on whose behest they are extracting the soil illegally, and are filling the agricultural land for construction purposes, adding the matter has been brought into the notice of concerned authorities who have assured the stern action against the violators, sources told early times.